State Supreme Court candidates warned about campaign activities

Syracuse, NY - The hotly contested race to fill four seats on the state Supreme Court bench in the local judicial district has earned the candidates a reprimand from the district administrative justice.

“I have received a number of complaints regarding campaign conduct by various candidates seeking to be elected as Supreme Court Justice in the Fifth Judicial District. I am dismayed,” Administrative Justice James Tormey wrote in a letter to the candidates last week.

“The position of Supreme Court Justice is one of great dignity and honor. Judicial campaigns must be conducted in a manner that promotes public confidence in the judiciary,” Tormey wrote.

Given the complaints, Tormey reminded the candidates of several sections of the state Rules Governing Judicial Conduct that require candidates maintain high standards of conduct and avoid making false statements or misrepresenting facts concerning themselves or an opponent.

“I must advise you that failure to comply with the rules governing judicial campaign conduct can subject a judge or candidate for judicial position to disciplinary action,” Tormey added.

The judge then reminded the candidates they had previously been provided a copy of a Judicial Campaign Ethics Handbook and had been required to attend an educational program for candidates seeking judicial office which spell out the ethical boundaries of campaign conduct.

“I trust that you will conduct your campaign in a manner that meets these high ethical standards,” Tormey wrote.

Several of the candidates revealed the existence of the Tormey letter during a meeting Tuesday with the editorial board at The Post-Standard. None of the four candidates at that meeting admitted to being involved in any questionable campaign conduct.

Tormey provided no specifics in his letter. He also refused to discuss the matter when asked last week about complaints circulating about the campaign for the Supreme Court posts on the November ballot.

David Bookstaver, spokesman for the Office of Court Administration, also was asked last week about complaints in the judicial contest in the local district that includes Onondaga, Oneida, Oswego, Jefferson, Herkimer and Lewis counties.

Bookstaver said OCA had no authority to discipline lawyers or judges.

Judges faces review by the state Commission on Judicial Conduct and lawyers face review by district disciplinary committees, neither of which will confirm or deny the existence of any such investigations at the complaint stage, Bookstaver said.

Tormey was not available for comment today on the release of his cautionary letter to the judicial candidates.